Viewing Multiple Outlook Calendars: How to Create, View, Share & Sync Multiple Calendars in Microsoft Office

Viewing Multiple Outlook Calendars: How to Create, View, Share & Sync Multiple Calendars in Microsoft Office
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Creating Multiple Outlook Calendars

Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 adds lots of features and fine tuning from its earlier versions. The calendar is no exception to this progress. Outlook allows users to create multiple calendars and view them either separately or concurrently. After installing Outlook and configuring an account, it creates a default calendar for that account. Additional calendars can be added.

In Outlook 2007, open the Calendar folder. Then select File | New | Calendar. (This is not to be confused with Appointment or Meeting Request). This will open the window seen in Figure 1. The folder name is also the name of the secondary calendar. In our example, we are creating a Conference Schedule. Figure 2 shows the additional calendar in Outlook.

Screenshots

Figure2 - My Calendars

Displaying Multiple Calendars

In Outlook, you have the option of which calendars to display in the Calendars folder. As shown in Figure 2, there is a checkbox beside each calendar in the My Calendars group. Figure 3 shows three calendars being viewed side-by-side. Outlook uses colors to help differentiate the calendars viewed in ‘Side-by-Side’ mode. Outlook also allows you to view calendar items all in the same calendar. This is called ‘Overlay’ mode and is shown in Figure 4. There are tabs at the top showing which calendars are participating in the view. Changing to another tab changes the focus to that calendar with the other calendar appointments faded slightly.

When working with Microsoft Exchange especially, you have the ability to open other users’ folders where permission has been granted to do so. This is a common scenario for use of multiple calendars in this view by opening calendars of your staff, supervisor or peers. Calendars in Outlook can also be divided into groups. Figure 3 also shows the default groups of My Calendars and Other Calendars. An additional group labeled ‘Development Team’ has been added with other calendars therein.

Viewing multiple calendars in Outlook 2007 is both simple and valuable. It helps show conflicts or just easily compare schedules.

Screenshots

Figure3 - Multiple Calnedars - Side-by-Side Mode

Figure4 - Multiple Calendars - Overlay Mode

This post is part of the series: Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 Tips

A series of Tips and Tricks for working with Microsoft Outlook 2007 both as a user and an administrator.

  1. New E-mail Account Configuration in Microsoft Outlook: Tip #1
  2. Use AutoComplete “Nickname” Cache in Outlook: Tip #2
  3. Configure Outlook Custom Message Views: Tip #3
  4. How to Configure RSS Feeds in Outlook: Tip #4
  5. Tip #5 - Making Changes to the Custom Dictionary in Microsoft Outlook 2007
  6. Tip #6 - Configure Outlook Autosave Settings
  7. Microsoft Outlook Keyboard Shortcuts: Tip #7
  8. Microsoft Outlook 2007 Tip #8 - Outlook.exe Startup Switches
  9. Microsoft Outlook Instant Messenger Addons: #9
  10. Tip #10 - Using Outlook 2007 to Access GMail
  11. Showing Full Message Headers in Microsoft Outlook 2007: Tip #11
  12. How to Re-Send an E-mail Message in Outlook: Tip #12
  13. How to View Animated GIFs Embedded in an E-mail in Microsoft Outlook 2007: Tip #13
  14. Telling Outlook How to Handle Messages: Tip #14
  15. Microsoft Outlook 2007 Tip #15 - How to Color Code the Task List in the To Do Bar
  16. Tip #16 - Importing from Incredimail to Microsoft Outlook 2007
  17. Viewing Multiple Outlook Calendars: Tip #17
  18. Removing Cancelled Future Appointments in Microsoft Outlook 2007: Tip #18
  19. Tip #19: How to Create New Outlook E-mail from the Command Line
  20. How to Configure Outlook AutoArchiving: Tip #20
  21. Using Custom Categories in Microsoft Outlook 2007: Tip #21
  22. How to Manage Outlook Add-ins: Tip #21
  23. Microsoft Outlook 2007 Tip #23 - Attachment Previewing Options